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5th Anniversary Giveway Day 5: It's Just Me

My final essay about the first 5 years of Just Hungry is about, well, me.

During the course of these years, I've sometimes worried about being too all over the place. I have, as I said earlier, tried to concentrate on Japanese food and cooking more or less. But then I do sometimes go off on a tangent and write about something completely different. After posting something like an in-depth comparison of Marmite, Vegemite and Cenovis, I used to wonder if going off course so much would be bad.

I've stopped worrying about that kind of thing now. I've come to realize that the site is born from who I am. I've had a rather complicated, nomadic life so far, and that is reflected in the type of food I'm drawn to. My roots are in Japan, but I also feel that American food, specifically the food in the New York/Long Island area, British food, and Swiss food are 'home cooking' for me too. I know my background is not that typical, so this mix of influences is not going to appeal to a huge audience. But that's OK.

And conversely, I find that I am most drawn to blogs where I can see the person behind it, rather than ones who present some kind of façade that the author thinks will 'sell'. Hopefully, that's a reason for people to stick around and read my words too.

So, on to the final giveaway. You actually have a choice of two things!

Please check the giveaway rules in the first post. Do try to remember to keep it to one comment per item/entry, thanks! (I've noticed that sometimes people seem to get impatient and post the same comment twice. I use a spam-preventing tool called Mollom, which sometimes can cause a short delay between the time your comment is entered and the time it appears. So please wait a bit before submitting another comment.)

Remember: You need to give me your email address (in the email entry area) where I can contact you if you win, your name (or nickname), and your location (country). In addition, for this giveaway only, you must tell me which lot you want, the Fanny Cradock cookbook or the Japanese cookbooks. Comments/entries that don't indicate this will be eliminated from the draw.

If you enjoyed my recaps of the BBC programme The Supersizers Go, especially of the 1970s episode, or just like retro food, you'll really enjoy this one. Published in 1970, I gather that this book (which is a compilation of several magazine issues) was the companion to a TV series hosted by Fanny Cradock. I bought this book some years ago when I briefly became obsessed with tracking down Fanny Cradock cookbooks. It wasn't too hard to find them on eBay or the used bookstores back then, but nowadays it's become much more difficult to buy her old cookbooks now for some reason, especially the ones with photos. (You can still get her really awful historical novels fairly easily. I don't recommend them.)

In all seriousness, the mostly francophile recipes are on the whole not bad; there some OMG moments, but also plenty in there that is actually tasty and not too artery-clogging.

The book is in 'used' condition, but is in pretty good condition for its age. It even has all the adverts and reply-postcard inserts and such.

Choice no. 2: Two Japanese cookbooks in English

If '70s retro food is not your thing, perhaps these two cookbooks are. Both translated from Japanese, they are written by two of the most popular cookbook authors in Japan. I've written about Japanese Home Cooking by Tokiko Suzukipreviously. She is one of the great teachers and I rely on her Japanese books all the time. Harumi's Japanese Cooking by Harumi Kurihara is a modern take on Japanese home cooking. She's popular enough in Japan to have her own Martha Stewart Living style lifestyle magazine called harum_mi (it's a quarterly).

Again, please indicate whether you prefer Fanny Cradock OR the Japanese cookbooks.

This, and all the giveaways, are now closed. Thank you for participating! The winners will be announced later this week!

Comments

Hi Maki, I just wanted to thank you for writing these two blogs :) i have learned so many things that i always wanted to about Japanese cooking and bento-making. I hope you continue to write for a long time on these sites as I know I (an many others) eagerly look forward to every new post.

as a new reader, it's been so fun reading about how just hungry has evolved over the last 5 years. i'm in the us and i've been bugging my japanese co-worker about food and cooking so i would love the japanese-english cookbooks!

While I love weird old cookbooks, I reckon I have enough of them already to last me a lifetime. I pick them up at fleamarkets whenever I find one. I especially like the introductions that some of them have; you know, on how to be a good housewife, proper dinner conversation topics and so on. Hilarious :)

So if you draw my name, I'd prefer the Japanese cookbooks.

Thanks for a week of very interesting entries! I missed you while you were on vacation.

Like you, I also prefer to read blogs which shows us the personality of the writer. Otherwise I might as well read a cookbook/guidebook, right?

I also like a mix of different posts in a blog. Actually once I've decided that I like a blogger's writing style and what he/she has to say, I pretty much will read the blog regularly so if, for example, the writer of a food blog decides to post about something other than food I just find it a refreshing change but it won't change my mind about the blog in general.

Like you, I also prefer to read blogs which shows us the personality of the writer. Otherwise I might as well read a cookbook/guidebook, right?

I also like a mix of different posts in a blog. Actually once I've decided that I like a blogger's writing style and what he/she has to say, I pretty much will read the blog regularly so if, for example, the writer of a food blog decides to post about something other than food I just find it a refreshing change but it won't change my mind about the blog in general.

What a tough decision...I collect funny old cookbooks from the 60's and 70's and a british one would be a great addition. On the other hand I'd be more likely to actually cook from the Japanesse cookbooks....

Mashed potato swans? Looks like a character bento item to me! ;) I've seen the Japanese style home cooking book at the Japanese bookstore and always almost get it... Not sure whether it's cheapness or intimidation that gets the better of me, lol.

those lemon pigs are hilarious, but given the choice id take the two japanese books. one of those has been on my amazon wishlist for who knows how long. congrats again on the anniversary, i love both your blogs!

=O I love your blogs ♠ I think you have a fairly large reader base too =3 then again... I'm not a good blogger [I blog to record things for myself, not really for a reader base... also, following themes are a bit difficult for me...]... so I can't say what people write for a reader base and her/his self would think. You mentioned previously that you used to blog in general then specialized and then allowed some random parts? (I think... my memory is becoming slightly faulty)so I think you also mentioned compromise or something of that sort... either that or that's what it made me think of... hmm...
anyhow, my original point is that green mashed potatoes ... reminds me of green eggs and ham... it's something that shouldn't technically be completely green unless you make spinach into powder/paste or something and mix it in =X the pigs are cute though. =X anyhow, I'd like the japanese cookbooks please if i should be selected =3
Ayla
USA (CA)

Wow, troughs of poo or easy Japanese recipes? This is a harder decision than it seems. I was pretty sure I wanted the Fanny Cradock book, but those Japanese cookbooks look too good and will be more useful. Sign me up for the Japanese books!

I've really enjoyed this week. Thanks for revealing so much about your blog history and yourself. I do prefer to read blogs that reflect the true personality of the author.

Well, what a tough choice. That 70s book looks hilarious - what were they thinking?! You know as soon as you think of putting pipe cleaners in food for decoration, you have gone too far (let alone considering raw meat an appropriate table decoration). What other delights does this book hold? On the other hand, the two Japanese books look like something I could actually use...so they would be my pick.
From Anna in Wellington, New Zealand

I think the 70's one looks way to fiddly for me, and i don't have any Japanese cookbooks, so those would be nice if i win :). I'm off to go thru your archives some more! And your blog is wonderful because your personality shows thru.

I have truly enjoyed your essays this week, and have become a Just Hungry reader because of them. Thank you!

I would love the Japanese cookbooks. Your Just Bento site encouraged me to rediscover Japanese food and learn to cook it. I was introduced to Japanese food in graduate school when I was studying Aikido, and now my son is loving it, too. It's been fun learning to cook Japanese dishes, and no end of laughs watching an American kid learn to eat with chopsticks! (Ending in tears and a fork more than once, as his hunger was greater than his desire to use them!)

This is a great site for basic techniques. I made homemade tofu based on the recipe here, and it was great. A lot of effort, but worth it in my opinion. Also, I suspect that repeated attempts will go more smoothly. And I think my appreciation of that process, and it's somewhat plain, but delicious result, is related to my preference between the cookbooks. As much as I like to look back on retro recipes for amusement, I'd rather have a cookbook with recipes I actually wanted to cook. Which is to say, sign me up for the Japanese cookbooks.

I'd love the Japanese cookbooks - I recently moved from a big multicultural city to a small one that is very much less diverse. I miss the Japanese restaurants I frequented back home, so I'd use these fairly often.

country = USA but I'm a kamaaina and island bound.
Where do you find all your neat stuff - are japanese cookbooks and craft books readily available on the mainland??? love 'playing' with my food - but lemon pigs and snails, hmm...japanese style of presenting food is so artful, yet there seems to be some similarity there...

Hi Maki! I'm not here for the prizes actually - but I do love both Just Hungry and Just Bento and have been a quiet reader (ok, lurker) for some time. I just wanted to say I can totally relate to your mix of influences, being myself of Korean descent, born and raised in Brazil (!) and currently living in the Netherlands. I just love kimchi, feijoada and stampot equally, and that's what makes me ME. Keep up being you and writing whatever you feel like, because that's what we love.
Feliz aniversário to Just Hungry/Just Bento! :)

What a wonderful way to end your giveaway. I love your wonderful website. Thank you for all of your hard work and commitment. My choice would be the Japanese cookbooks.
Congrats on your anniversary Maki.

A friend linked me to Just Hungry and Just Bento only a couple weeks ago and I've been enjoying poking back through the archives as well as reading the new entries. :D I've always been interested in trying Japanese cooking so this giveaway fiiinally lured me to comment! Thanks for all the fun writing. :)

I enjoy reading your blog and take inspiration from your writtings to use in my cooking and life.

Thankyou for sharing this part of you with us.

I am laughing and cringing at the idea of a raw meat and boiled vege table decoration.
There is a butcher that gets on my train home in the afternoon and the smell of meat on him makes me feel ill and I eat meat.
I just couldnt imagine sitting at a table decorated with raw meat..

Hi, I'd definitely pick the Japanese cookbooks if I won this contest. I have a few of those older cookbooks I've inherited, or stupidly bought at 2nd hand stores. Sorry, but they're kinda icky. But the first pictured Japanese cookbook, the bottom 2 photos, yuuuuum!

While the 70's cookbook looks hysterical to read, I'd have to go with the Japanese cookbooks. (even though one of my favorite cookbooks to read as a child was an 1970's English language Japanese cookbook. I think I was an odd child, I read everything.)

would love to receive the japanese cookbooks. I just found a great fishmongers the other day that carry sushi-grade tuna. i bought a chunk of chu-toro, made my own sushi - it was delicious! really looking forward to improving my japanese cooking skills..

i would love those japanese cookbooks! i recently moved to hawaii for school, and i have all the ingredients at my beck and call! i have been using a lot of your recipes of course, but those would be fun too! :)

Hi Maki! I totally understand what you mean about having a diverse background. I also grew up in various parts of the world so sometimes I feel like I don't really "belong" in just any one group. But your blog should reflect who you are...I think in the end, people will appreciate that more.

For today's giveaway, I'd like the Japanese cookbooks. Hope I get lucky! :)

name: scottie
country: canada
AAH! i LOVE harumi! she made nikujaga, and i tried it out. it tasted really good! and it was really easy to make. aww, i actually like it when you go off-topic a little:). it kinda gives insight to how your mind works. INTERESTING! keep up the great work! LOOVE YA :)

Although the first book looks really interesting, I'd love the Japanese books. I've got another of Harumi's books out of the library at the moment and it's really good. I love your blogs, please keep up the good work.

Maki,
Just wanted to express my gratitude for all that you've done for me.

Your blog has brought me back to a time when cooking was enjoyable and peaceful and not a chore, especially when cooking for seven people.

We've lost another family member this year to cancer and it was your blog, recipes, and fans comments that had gotten me through some rough times. This past decade I have been caring for grandparents while trying to raise my own kids. It is too easy to just drown your sorrows in food. I found that preparing the bento boxes and imagining the faces of my children at lunchtime brings me such joy and peace.

Having been overseas this past decade and trying to find proper ingredients has been difficult. Now that I am back in the U.S. I look forward to passing these great recipes and skills to my own kids. When each child moved out, we were given a rice cooker, wok and some wise words. I hope to pass this along with the Japanese cookbooks to my eldest soon.

I just wanted to say thank you for sharing all these fantastic recipes and such with the rest of us! Ever since I came back from my trip to Japan, I've been getting random cravings for food that I had eaten there... <(^_^); Normally, I'm more of a baker but I've tried the Omurice and Hayashi Beef Rice recipes that you have provided. Looking forward to trying more of the shared recipes, too. The list of where you can get Japanese goods is so helpful too. Happy 5th Anniversary once again. [If chosen, I would like the two Japanese Cookbooks, please] Cheers!

I checked out Harumi's Japanese cooking from the local library months ago and thought it was really wonderful! I've been meaning to buy it for myself, but the list of books I want to buy is literally 20 pages long. =)

Congratulations on the anniversaries of my two favorite blogs! Having really gotten interested in bento making almost a year ago, I found Just Bento right after it started up. It's been such fun to let you guide me to all sorts of what are now my bento favorites, with happy excursions to Just Hungry when I wanted something for dinner, or just to read all the interesting articles you've written over the years. Thank you again from a happy reader, and many more years to come!

Kathy in Santa Barbara, CA
P.S. If I am so lucky as to win, I'd prefer the Japanese books, please.

Thank so so much (again) for your wonderful sites. I just can't imagine the past couple years without JustHungry, and yes, I always came back, not just for the food, but for those tangents that showed your personality. I've really enjoyed your work, so much, and I hope it continues for a really long time. Thank you Maki!

Debbie from North Carolina, USA

PS. I would really love the Japanese-English books. A Japanese friend has lent me a couple issues of Harum_mi, and I've fallen in love with Harumi, and would love her cookbook!

Aww! The lemon pigs are so cute, but the Japanese books look like the food is so good! It seems almost everyone wants the Japanese books, haha

I, also, was always the girl who was left out at my school, so I can understand very well how bad it felt. I have also had issues with my weight because of it; that is why I decided to try out bento this year, and I love it! Thank you for making such an exellent blog for us who love bento!

The Craddock Cookery book looks very special, but the Japanese books are more up my alley - which is why I read this blog. I'd love to enter the draw for the Japanese books. But most importantly, keep posting! And thanks for 5 years!

What a great giveaway! Congrats on your blog's success. Please, I'd like the Japanese cookbooks.
In my family, I'm the only one who introduces and cooks Japanese food. Those books would be very helpful.
Thank you kindly!

I'd pick the Japanese cookbooks - they would be amazing. I'm actually in Japan right now (originally I'm from the UK), but so far my collection of Japanese recipes consists mainly of stuff copied off this site - be great to have some stuff of my own!

I actually DO consistently come back to JustHungry/JustBento because who you are as a person really does shine through (for example, admitting your obsession with canned pasta (something we have in common!)) and makes you seem more approachable/kinder than most ! Once again, Happy 5th Anniversary! :)

One reason I love your blog is exactly because of its variety of topics/you "going off course" sometimes. So please continue to do so :)

And about the books... even though I deeply impressed by the lemon pigs and the egg swans.... I'd rather go for the Japanese cookbooks (and browse my Mum's bookself once I'm back at my parents', she might still have some of her old cookbooks).

I feel just like you. I'm French, but I spent several years in the US and both types of cooking feel like home-cooking. And I just love japanese cooking! I've spotted Harumi's book and I've been considering buying it, so I would be very interested in winning it!

I've browsed through these Japanese cookbooks at the store, but never have the money to spare to put down for them. These would be a lovely supplement to all the great recipes you post for all to see ^_^ Happy Holidays

Dear Maki, apart from the amazing recipes and articles you keep posting on your blogs, it's just because of the person who's typing on the other side of the monitor that people continue reading it, so please, be your wandefoul self and have fun ;)

even if i'm not the lucky recipient of the Japanese cookbooks (though the 70s one is awesome for the photos alone), thanks for mentioning them here -- i will need to go check them out! i've heard of Harumi-san before, but didn't know she had anything out in English.
happy anniversary, and thanks for a fun celebration week!
Erika
Los Angeles, USA

Hi Maki,
I was in the middle of my Sunday cook-a-thon and I came up with 3/4 of a can of kidney beans that I still needed to use up. I googled kidney beans and came across your Curried kidney beans and vegetables. Delicious! I read through a number of your posts and recipes and I am excited to see more.

Happy 5th Anniversary! I think it's great that you're having a giveaway to celebrate. Your posts are really fun to read and I love trying out your recipes- I look forward to seeing more of them in the future. : )

Although both choices are good, I would prefer the Japanese cookbooks, please!